This Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is intended to help create an atmosphere in which freedom of speech is balanced by self-discipline and a mature attitude to discussion. We encourage people to join these discussions and it would therefore be very surprising if exchanges did not occasionally become a little heated! For this reason, we have compiled this policy for those who are new to the etiquette of online discussion.

Site Administrators and Moderators are available to help you to get the most out of participating in online discussions and to ensure that the rules are observed. Administrators and Moderators do not and cannot review all of the content of every message posted and do not accept responsibility for the contents of any messages. We reserve the right to delete any message and/or restrict posting rights in these forums for any reason whatsoever. Should you continue to post messages that violate these rules, your account may be terminated, your access to the Kintyre Forum may be banned, and your service provider(s) may be contacted about your behaviour. Furthermore, we expressly reserve our rights under the law to take any other actions we deem necessary.

1) Personal IdentificationAll messages sent to a discussion will require your username and password, chosen at time of registration. Do not represent yourself as another person. In particular, anyone found to be re-registering with a different username to circumvent a ban or other restriction will have their access permanently banned from the Kintyre Forum.

2) Use of LanguageYou will not use profanity in our forums, and will neither post with language or content that is obscene, offensive, seditious, sectarian, blasphemous or sexually oriented.

By participating in any discussion, you undertake to indemnify the site owner, Administrators and appointed Moderators against any liability arising from any obscene, offensive, seditious, sectarian, blasphemous or other actionable statement published by you on this site and against all damages, losses, claims and costs (including, without limitation, fines and expenses arising out of or incurred in conducting or defending any proceedings) arising from any such actionable statements.

3) Conduct of DiscussionBefore posting a message, you should ensure to the best of your ability that the information it contains is accurate, truthful and appropriate.

You will not behave in an abusive and/or hateful manner, and will not harass, threaten, nor attack anyone.

Messages should not be malicious or designed to offend.

Your message should be within the scope of the subject under discussion so please try to keep to the topic. If you make a contribution that is inappropriate to the subject under discussion, an Administrator or Moderator will move your message to a separate discussion topic.

There should be no discussions in relation to pending criminal proceedings (or outstanding workplace disciplinary actions) regarding any person who previously/currently resides in Kintyre. Any statements may be prejudicial to the outcome of proceedings.

Reference should not be made to the personality of other participants in a discussion nor should attacks be made on an individual's character unless the person concerned has already chosen to bring his or her personality into the issue under discussion.

One to one arguments, disagreements and disputes of a personal nature must be conducted through private message or email and not through public discussion.

You should remember that you are legally responsible for what you write. At all times, you remain solely responsible for anything found within your posts. By participating in a discussion, you undertake to indemnify the site owner, Administrators and appointed Moderators against any liability arising from any breach of confidentiality, copyright or other intellectual property right published by you on this site and against all damages, losses, claims and costs (including, without limitation, all expenses incurred in conducting or defending any proceedings) arising from any such publication. You must not make statements that are libellous, slanderous, obscene, seek to incite racial hatred or otherwise break the laws of the United Kingdom.

4) Personal PrivacyYou will respect other people's right to personal privacy and will not post any other person's identifying information (including their names, contact information, and any other relevant information) within these forums.

If a person has sent you a private message or email you may not forward it to a public discussion forum without the prior consent of the person who sent it. This does not prevent you forwarding private messages or emails to the Site Administrator should you consider this appropriate.

5) Advertising and ResearchNo commercial advertising is allowed except where it is for an event, publication or similar item that has direct relevance to the subject of discussion.

Information about locating and sharing knowledge and expertise is welcomed, but within the specific discussion topic provided.

6) Breach of these RulesWe reserve the right to take whatever action we consider appropriate and proportionate against anyone breaching these rules. If you find any posts in these forums to be offensive or objectionable and a breach of these rules then please contact the Moderators using the "Report This Post" System. This is accessed by clicking the icon (currently a yellow triangle) at the top right of the offending message. If it is determined that removal of a post or posts is necessary, then reasonable efforts will be made to do so in a timely manner.

Breaches of the rules may result in any of the following actions being taken by a Moderator or Administrator.

1. A private message informing you of the breach and asking that you desist from such behaviour.2. A temporary ban of a duration appropriate to the severity of the breach.3. A permanent ban from the Kintyre Forum.4. Your account will be terminated, your access to the Kintyre Forum will be banned, and your service provider(s) may be contacted about your behaviour.

If a message you have made has been moderated or deleted, you must not question these actions in the public discussion forum, instead contact the Moderators by private message (PM), or the Site Administrator by private message (PM) or email at admin@kintyreforum.com. Anyone failing to follow this rule will be subject to an automatic 1 day ban.

Please Note:By virtue of your participation in this discussion forum, you are deemed to have agreed to abide by these rules.

We may revise this Acceptable Use Policy at any time. You are expected to check this message from time to time to take notice of any changes we make, as they are legally binding on you.